If You Need Me
by BellatrixLestrangey
Summary: Regina suffers from sleep paralysis. Emma has to comfort her after an episode.


"Why don't you want to sleep with me?" Emma asks.

Regina grips her mug more firmly. It isn't that she doesn't want to sleep next to the woman, moreso that she doesn't want to sleep at all. She opens and closes her mouth, unsure of what to say.

"Do you not like sharing blankets?" Emma puts her own mug in the sink. "I'm not a kicker or a snorer, I promise. And if I am, you can kick me right out." She laughs.

Regina tries to laugh as well, but it comes out nervous. "No, no, Emma. It's not that. It's…"

Emma opens her mouth and her eyes go wide with realization. Really it is a full body animation, the way her head seems to raise with her eyebrows and an accusatory finger rises, "_you're_ the kicker?"

"I am not."

"Oh," she nods, "you are embarrassed because you don't want me to know that the elegant queen snores."

Regina rolls her eyes, "good guess, still wrong."

"You talk in your sleep and if I ask, you'll reveal your darkest secrets."

She sighs, "I do talk in my sleep but that's not the problem either because you already know all of my secrets." She pauses.

"All of them except for why you don't want to sleep next to me." Emma seems to deflate.

Regina bites her lip. "It's just that it has been a while since I've shared a bed with anyone." She sets her mug on the table. "But I think that it's time to change that, yes?"

Emma perks back up and throws her arms around her. Regina's stomach flutters in equal parts nervousness and joy. It will be nice to have some company at night. It is kind of a relief to know that she will have someone next to her when her body locks up. All the same, she doesn't fancy Emma seeing her like that.

She can't even say why the episodes are beginning again.

"Can you wear the blue night gown again? I really like that one on you."

"I think that I can do that."

**.oOo.**

It looms over her, knotted and nobbed horns gleaming in the moonlight. They are wet with blood. Blood that drizzles down and spatters on her forehead. Its eyes are a blazing red and its snarl is so twisted and vicious. Her ears buzz as the demon gnashes its teeth.

Her chest feels so heavy, her breaths come out wrong. She can feel Emma pressed up against her and in that moment it reminds her of the weight on her chest. She longs to wake Emma but her lips are as locked as the rest of her body.

She can only lay paralyzed and silenced as the demon looms in closer, until its breaths land on her face.

She can't see them, but hands, clawed hands, grip her ankles and the wrist that dangles off the side of the bed. She thinks that it is licking her palm but the scream won't tear from her mouth. The only thing she can do is cry silently. The tears that leak from the corner of her eyes to her ears leave an uncomfortable tickle that she can't wipe away.

The pressure on her chest only increases as the snarling demon presses his weight down harder. He holds her down and opens his mouth. She closes her eyes because she knows what is coming. But that doesn't save her from the sensation of maggots plopping onto her chest and wriggling around.

She tries to focus only on the woman next to her. Emma shifts in her sleep. But with her eyes closed, she can't be sure that it is Emma's weight that is next to her. It could be another one of them.

Regina tries to move her arm but her muscles won't respond, her body still doesn't know that it is awake. It still needs to catch up and it is taking too long. She opens her eyes to find the demon meer centimeters from her face.

She manages a cry, a soft little whimper.

Its face distorts, bubbling and popping grotesquely.

Her body jolts and the scream finally comes.

Regina breaths heavily now that the pressure is gone. She takes her breaths with some degree of greed as though they will be taken from her again. She jerks at the feeling of a hand on her shoulder and then she remembers that Emma is there. Her cheeks flush.

"Gina? Are you okay."

She shakes her head no and then yes...she isn't sure. She manages to sputter out an, "I'll be fine."

"What's wrong?" Emma asks. Regina welcomes the woman's embrace. She rests her chin in the crook of Regina's neck. Her breaths are much more pleasant than the demon's.

"Nothing. I should be used to this." Her voice sounds almost raspy.

"Let's go downstairs and have a good ol' midnight snack. How about it?"

Regina nods and pushes herself up and onto shaky legs.

"Nightmare?" Emma asks as she leads Regina down the hall.

"No." She replies. "Worse than that."

"Night terrors?"

"Sleep paralysis." Regina swallows. "I've had it for as long as I can remember." She lowers herself into one of the dining room chairs. Emma stands behind her and massages her shoulders. "It helps if I lay on my stomach, but sometimes I roll over in my sleep…" She brushes her hair back.

Emma digs around in the fridge and comes back with a glass of milk. "Want me to heat it up."

"Please."

She stares at the backs of her hands.

Emma sets the cup in front of her. "Well, you're awake now and the good news is, you didn't wake Henry up."

Regina manages a laugh, "he can sleep through almost anything."

"He's like his dad."

Emma takes her hands. "Tomorrow night, how about I hold you, it-whatever it is-can't get you if I grab you first!" She pounces into a hug, her knees collide with the table.

"Nice work, Swan. Maybe the demon can protect me from you."

"Sorry." Emma winces with an awkward smile. "I'll clean this up and get you a new glass."

"Please do." Regina replies. She watches her fiance move back towards the fridge. She feels the last of the tension ebb away. It is nice to wake up to comfort, especially after so many years of waking up with no one around to talk her down. At least this time around she isn't terrified to give sleeping another try.

Emma places the glass in her hands and she takes a drink. "Thank you, Emma."

"No problem. You ready to get back to bed or do you need a few more minutes."

"I'm ready. I think that I'd like to get a good night of rest, for once."

Emma nods, "I'll be right next to you if you need me."


End file.
